Take me back

Cove at Mauna Kea

 OH MY! It was a heavenly vacation. The best, best, water to swim in, so warm, clear and, tranquil.

The beaches in Hawaii are public so the very best are accessible to the public. This beach at Mauna Kea is one of the top rated in all the island. I would have to agree. As you easily, float and swim you will probably see the green sea turtles that like to warm up in the shallows or even sunbath on the sand.

Mauna Kea, Hawaii,  the big island

From the tiki bar at Mauna Kea

He or she really is just sunbathing

A Banyan tree near a public beach on the Hilo side of the island

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

Great food, reasonable prices, and gifted
Chef Carl, a New Orleans transplant

The Fish & the Hog in Waimea was a  find

Sunny May!

Portland is a garden paradise and it is basking in warm sunny days. Evidently this is a much warmer than usual May. With temperatures in the 80's we are having days ten degrees above normal.  No surprise in this age of global warming, I guess.  I will go out and  photograph something other than flowers but here is one last one for this week.

Notice the bee inside this peony. This flower is in the garden of a neighbor. It is a pleasure to find such an abundance of beauty right outside my door.

I attended a blog group meeting on Thursday. It was the first get together of a Meet up group started to generate  ideas for improving our blogs and sharing information about blogs. It was generally agreed that key to having a blog with many subscribers and readers is being disciplined and making regular postings. 

Good advice for me. 

Best Spring!

I visited the Japanese Garden here in Portland last week. It is a place of serenity.

Sculptures by the famous artist Isamu Noguchi

Mt Hood in the background

This morning our yard has irises making their showy display and the first peonies, although these that I photographed are a variety that is new to me.

On our porch, a basket of edible salad plants and
a bright cheery dahlia

The first hydrangea to bloom

Spring and Tulips

Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm, located  in Woodburn, Oregon is a long time tourist attraction in the spring. Yesterday turned out be a perfect day, weather wise, for a visit.

Royal Star

One of my neighbors is a master gardener and after I fruitlessly searched the internet I did the simple thing and asked my neighbor to identify the mystery miniature tree. Well, not to keep you in suspense any longer it is a Japanese Magnolia. From my neighbor I found there are dozens of varieties of Japanese Magnolias and this petite one in the yard is one of a variety that can grow into a large tree. Also, blooming in profusion around Portland is the more familiar pink variety, that I have heard called "tulip trees," when I lived in Alabama.

Close look at a bloom and bud on the Japanese Magnolia

This variety is the Royal Star Magnolia. The following information is from the Willis Orchard Company web site.
Willis Orchard

"The Royal Star Magnolia tree is a beautiful tree, able to grow 15 feet tall by 10 to 15 feet wide.

It is deciduous, with multiple branches that are close to the ground, and fragrant white star-like

flowers that have a slight shade of pink."


 From there I found the botanical name - Magnolia stellata -  and went to Wikipedia for the in depth
information.  

Magnolia stellata Wikipedia

The Royal Star is native to Japan and the Tulip Magnolia is originally from China but has been cultivated for centuries in Japan.

Just went out in the rain and am editing this post to add a photo of the more common Japanese  (Tulip) Magnolia.

These grow profusely in the South. They were in full bloom  last weekend, which was a beautiful, sunny, Easter weekend. Today they are rapidly shedding their blossoms.

Magnolia Liliiflora

Can you identify this miniature tree growing in my neighbor's yard?

Spring and Sunshine

Just finished a toddler sweater for my granddaughter who will be four next month. I see a few mistakes but it is a bright yellow spring color and I take pleasure thinking of her wearing it.

I bought the yarn at Stitches West last month in Santa Clara, which was a delightful part of my visit to California.

Warm California Sun

My recent trip to California was blessed with perfect weather. A visit to San Francisco included a stop at the de Young Museum which was having an exhibit of Dutch Masters. In the spotlight was the famous "Girl with a Pearl Earring." No photos allowed. Visiting with friends, we took some time to ride up to the tower at the de Young and enjoyed the spectacular view of the city.

The de Young has a fabulous collection and the museum on the Sunday we were there was crowded with art lovers but you know museum crowds seem to be a gracious group, so it is easy to enjoy.

Taken with my IPad

View from the tower

Outside the museum in Golden Gate Park

Next stop was lunch at a unique restaurant in Golden Gate Park overlooking the Pacific Ocean.This was my first visit to the Beach Chalet and 

 the grand murals inside done by the WPA in the 1930's are a must see attraction. Sorry I didn't take a photo of the view of the Pacific from the upstairs dining area. 

POWELL'S IN PORTLAND

BIGGER THAN BIG

Powell's City of Books on Burnside is a Portland treasure. Plan to spend hours if not half a day.

Visit their website  http://www.powells.com

But nothing compares to being immersed in the three floors of books, books, books. The store has over an acre and a half of retail floor space. I continually get lost in the stacks.

Today, one of my purchases was the novel by Matthew Quick, "Silver Linings Playbook." The movie was so good I want to read the book that inspired it.  

Just one small area

Just one of many information desks

Baja in the morning

Sunshine, sea, and bougainvillea. Lovely! Off to Saturday market, more later.